Omar Arreola

Mrs. Tillman

AP Literature

March 28, 2017

Importance of Being Earnest Essay

In the novel The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde uses the structure of social

classes to show how Jack is split between his life in the country and his life as Earnest in town.

Jack never speaks of his life in the country nor of those he knows in the country.

Algernon says, This cigarette case is a present from someone of the name Cecily, and you said

you didnt know anyone of that name which forces Jack to continue his lies as he tries to cover

it by saying Cecily is his aunt, continuing his lie. Algernon findings it ridiculous that his aunt

would call him uncle. In town Jack has always gone by the name Earnest that his fellow

colleagues dont know his real name. When Jack Tells Algernon that his name isnt Ernest it's

Jack, Algernon responds with, You have always told me its Earnest. I have introduced you to

everyone as Ernest. You answer to the name Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest..,

It's on your cards. Mr. Ernest Worthing, B 4, The Albany. This reveals how hard Jack tries to

hide his life outside of time that he even has a fake name.

Jack wants to hide it because to him the town is the place where hes free to do what he

wants while back in the country he has to be a role model for Cecily since he was left to watch

over her. If he told her he was leaving to see a woman we would appear as a simple man who

only cares about himself while lying about visiting his brother makes him look like a caring

family man since he takes time out of watching over Cecily to check on his little brother.
Algernon might not like Jack for his lies but he likes the idea since it allowed him to go out to

the country think he is pretending to be Jack's brother Ernest.

Although Jacks lie almost left him alone it allowed to discover that Algernon was truly

his brother and since they both legally changed their names they were never truly lying to the

women they loved.